Vacuum last and sole forming machine



Aug; 27, 1946.

w. H. DOHERTY VACUUM LAST AND SOLE FORMNG MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1944 rINVENT'OR. Ziam JI. 17o?? ery Witnesses '/f BY Auge 27, 1946. w.-A H.DOHERTY VACUUM LAST ND SOLE' FORMING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb.2, 1944 QW LALW .m mh fm VO; @i M H W @m www www,

Aug. 27, 1946. w. H. DO'HERTY 2,406,359

VACUUM LAST SOLE FORMIG' MACHINE Y Filed Fe'b. 2, 1944 4 sheets-sheet smw# Alma .mwu

Winesses A g- 27,v 1946 w. H. DOHERTY y VACUUM LAST AND SOLE vFORIVIINGMACHINE "Filed Feb. 2, 1944 4 sheets-sheet v4 dri".

.EELPI 5 .my mm D.. H .f Wm MW M e w Patented Aug. 27, 71946 1"f'znoesse f l'vl'wmiivrLAST AND "soLE FomvuNG "MACHINE aY f :William H.Doherty, Elmhurst, N. Y.

"ppucatin Febr'ay 2, 194fi .`.seria .1 N0. 520,731

Arlfhis invention relates Ato shoe machinery and more particularly toavacuum last and sole formingr machine.

A An object of this invention is to, provide a machine withl whichnew'or replacement soles may be applied to shoes. H

A furtherobject is izo-provide a'machine particularly adapted toapplyplasti'cv soles.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine which is providedwith a vacuum last to holdvthe shoe being soled or repaired in theproper position. This is particularly important when shoes are beingresoled since to secure a proper resoling the inner vsole must be flatand in position. As shoes are Worn the inner portion of the shoefbecomesdepressed about the ball of the foot and it is important vthat thissection `be straightened to provide a level inner sole as in a new shoe.

My machine is adapted to handle shoes of various sizes and to fit thesole to conform with the original last. In order to'accomplish thiscertain adjustments of size and contour are necessary. As will beseenlfrom the drawings and the ensuing description I have provided meansfor adjusting my molding elementv to any desired shape. It will also `beseen that I have provided means for switching the machinev so that it isadapted to mold soles foreither vthe left or the right shoe. Y l

Other objects and-advantages of my invention will' appear in the ensuingdescription and accom panyingdrawings, in whichl .Figure lis a sideelevation in section of a machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bed of my machine;

Fig. 3 is a detailed view partly in section of a heel-forming plate;

Fig. 4 is a detailed view partly in section of a sole-forming member; y

Fig. 5 is a sectional View showing my machine in operating position; Y f

Fig. 6 is a detailed view in section on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5; i l

Fig. '1 is a, detailed View in cross section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5;

Fig, 8 is a detailed View through the vacuum nozzle; Y

Fig, v9 is an end View in section of my machine;

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view taken on the line ||||0ofFig.2;

Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view taken on the line I of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings I provide a table or castingI5 upon whichl is 4 claims. (c1. 181-34) mounted a rotatable-'framehaving an Il.shaped member I1 for strengthening purposes andforsupporting the frame as hereinafter described. The frame I6 isrotatablewithin the opening I8 by means of the handle IS. The handle I9is provided with a spring-pressed register pin 20 adapted to engagenotches 2| in the underside of the table I5. As shown in Figure 1, bythe opera-I tion of the-handle I9 the frame may be vswiveled from oneposition to another. l A'I'he frame I3 is formed with two members 22and23forming a yoke asis clearly shown in Figure 9. i The yoke is joinedby the rod 25 on which is mounted the lasting frame 30. The frame 30 issupported by means of the members 3| and 32 which'engage the shaft 33mounted on the shaft 25 by thel members 34 and 35 which engage the frame36. Mounted between the members 3| and v32 is an adjustable shaft k4|)engaging the heel last 4|. -The upper portion of the shaft 4I) isthreaded and is engaged by the nuts 42 and 43 so that the position ofthe shaft 40 between the members 3| and 32 may be varied as to height.The members 3| and 32 are provided with s lots 45 and a bolt 46 passesthrough said slots and through the slot 41 in the shaft 40 so that theposition of the sha'ft`40 may be adjusted laterally as well aslongitudinally with respect tothe supporting members 3| and 32.

Mounted in the forward end of the supporting members 3l and 32 is anexternally threaded shaft 5l) surrounded by a threaded collar 5I mountedin the slot 52. The externally threaded shaft may be moved upwardly anddownwardly by .turning the wheel 5I. Shaft 50 supports at its lower endthe foot part of the last 4which extends within the toe 56 of a shoe 51.The rear surface 58 of the foot last is bevelled and is adapted toengage a bifurcated lever 60 having ends 6| and 62 fulcrumed through thebolt 63 to the heel last 4|. A connecting cam v65 is adapted to engagethe bevelled'face' 58 of the foot last to force the fo'ot and heel lasts`apart when pulled downwardly. The shaft 50 is hollow to provide achannel 1U to which may be con-v nected the combination vacuum and steamhose 1 I. The channel 10 communicates with the channel 12 in the footlast to apply either steam or vacuum to the last. A rubber'gasket 13 maybe provided to insure the seal. As shown in Figure 6 and in Figure 2 afoot plate 15 is provided which is reversible for right and left shoesand which is adapted to be placed under the foot portion of the last 55.Pins 11 are provided to center the foot plate 15. An adjustableeccentric valve 18 having *plurality of slots 8|.

l a channel 19 is provided at the end of the channel 12 to vary theamount of suction which may be i applied to the inner sole. Itwill beappreciated that by turning the valve 18 a greater area of Mounted onthe frame 3B is a table 80 having a A plurality of adjustmentf, plates82 having slots 83 Vare connected tothe table 80 and may be fastened inplac'e by means-1-` sole forming band 86 butl extended beyond said?.`

band at 81. The ends 88 and 89 of theile'xible and'SIY which areprovided with nuts, 92 and Y03 so that thetension thereonmay-beadjusted.

1. `band 88 are setin the spring controlled studs 90.

' VA somewhat similar flexible heel Vforming mem- 1 ber 95. is mountedVon theftablej 80 through the .i frame'36rand is provided with a threadedstud i 96 controlled by the nut. 01 to position it in cooperation withthe sole forming portion 86. A

pair of arms 08 and B2i-are pivoted at |00 andr|0I Vto the frame Strandbear adjustable-screws |82Y The and |03V and pressure points |04 and|05.

outer edges of these arms arecontacted yby cam i the heel-*formingsection 95-may be controlled by p the position'of. the screws v|02 and|03 and by. the

cam wheelsv IlIiv and |09. `Mounted in theframe l I5 onthe shaftl I0 isAa bed plate ||'I which may 1V wheels IIN)l and |09 having operatinghandles |01 i and |08. It will be readily seen that the shape of beprovided withheatersl I2 Aof any conventional p type or with radiofrequency heating apparatus.

The entire bed plate may be raised by moving the shaft IIIl upwardly inthe socket II3 and locked by means.l of the lock screw I I4. It will'be.

appreciated that a conventional Vfoot vlever maybe placed below theshaft `to raise and lower it if desired; Mounted in' the bedl plate- IIIare a plurality of. spring controlled pressure buttons |I.5,

mounted' in theconventional manner ini casing I6 so as to resilientlyVpush themselves above the surface of the bed plate II I'. Thetableniis lprovided with slots' |120 adapted. to be engaged p by the wing nuts |2|to clampftheftable against the bed plate I I I.

In. operation the frame V3tlimaybepivotedon 1 the shaft 25 to theposition shown' in Figure-1;

The shoe. to be. soled. is thenfplaeed upon the foot last 55.` andtheheel lastY 4|. adjusted'fby meansv of thescrevv` 42. The table 80 isthen. adjusted to the shoe with the-extensions 81. of: the adjustment 1plate 82 extendingv betweenthewelt'andtheupper so that the ilexible band86 defines the.A contour l off the sole and the' ilexible band of thesoler|i5r denes thecontour Aof theV desiredfheel.` The foot plate 15 andthe interchangeablee-heel?plate 1B will. of course be placed in registerto accommodate either theflef-t or right shoe, whichever is' beingWorked on. Thefshoe may then .be-sterilized by the entry of steamthrough t-hehose 'I'IV and the. vacuum may. then be applied. to cause;the

inner sole to adhere flat against the foot plate 15.

PlasticV material may then`4 be:` applied within the flexible members 86and 95 to cover the inner sole and theinner heel portions.' An instepplate |28 is then inserted to form the edgeof the heel and the heelmember |21 is formed. As it may be desirable for the operator to workfrom side to side the entire frame may be shifted by operation kof thehandle I9. yWhen this work is completed the frame is pivoted on the axle25 onto the bed plate IIl and clamped intofpla'ce.; Heat may then beappliedt'o sietthe plastic or composition material.

I .'Iclaim:

l.. A. machine for applying soles to shoes including a frame, a supportpivotally mounted on said frame, a table on said support, a last mountedon said support having foot and heel portions, means. for adjusting.said foot and heel portions to 'accommodate shoes of different sizes, anadjustableheel plate on said heel last, a reversible foot plate on saidfoot last, means for applying a vacuum into the inner sole of a'shoe, a;ileXiblej member one.. said table. deiiningxtheV solelpertion,v meansfor adjusting said flexiblememberito con-j form it'to the desiredshape', a flexible-member on said table deing.y a: heel portion,reaeh'of. said flexible members cooperating with the-other to dene the entiresole portion; and means for Vapplying heat to said heel and soleportions, f

2. A. machine for applyingv solesV and A.heels-.to

shoes including aA base,vv a ,member pivotally mountedin said base, avshaft in said member, a frame pivotally mounted on said shaft, a last'comprising foot,- and heelportionsf supported-by said frame, areversible foot plate on- 'said last, means for moving said foot andheel portionslwith relation to each other to'engage a shoe, flexibleheel and. sole forming members adjustably mounted on vsaid frame, saidheel and sole* form-1 ing members having adjustable meansto conform themto the heel and welt of the shoe to beV soled, a heating plate mountedon said base;v in position to be engaged by the. heel andl sole of ashoe. andthe sole and heel.V forming members in one-position ofthepivotal movementbf said frame.v l

3. Amachine fora-pplying soles'toshoes includy pivotally connected?tofsaidexibleforming meme s bersrforV adjusting. said' flexible forming:members to lconform to the's'hoe; and mea-ns'. on said frame foradjusting said foot and heell formin'gi members with relationtofsaidfootfan'dfheel lasts.. i

4. A machine for applying; soles to-'sho'e'si'n-y cludinga. base;l a`member pivotally mounted on saidY base, a shaft in said nie'n'iber;'aIframe mounted onf said shaft, 'aY last.v comprising' heel and footportions adjustably supportedby.' said frame,l a1 tablemounted' on said.frame, flexible members defining heel-and footiportions onasaidi table,means pivotally connectedy to said flexible members for adjusting saidflexible memberato conformv them to, the desired shape, andiA afbedplate'for supporting'said table;l

WILLIAMH; DOHERII'Y.: l

